Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Speaker Pat Grassley says Iowa House Republicans have advanced bills they think are extremely important. Grassley highlighted bills that seek to overhaul higher education in the state by banning D-E-I programs and targeting majors to meet workforce needs. He also says bills to focus SNAP benefits on healthy foods and put Medicaid work requirements in place are priorities.
Grassley says those will be tax-related proposals that aren’t subject to this past week’s deadline. They include expanding eligibility for the child care tax credit and eliminating sales taxes on everyday products. A Democratic leader in the Iowa legislature says she’s disappointed with the lack of bills that would lower costs for Iowans advancing past a cutoff for legislation to make it through committee. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst says she’s also frustrated with Republican proposals she says would provide immunity for pesticide companies, restrict vaccines and require physicians to share inaccurate claims about medication abortion reversals. Konfrst says GOP priorities are answering to special interests and not what Iowans want.
Konfrst says lawmakers need to consult cities and counties when developing the upcoming property tax relief bill. She says Democrats have pushed legislation to make housing, health care and child care more affordable but the bills failed to advance.
(Katarina Sostaric and Isabella Luu, Iowa Public Radio)
